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THE  BENSON  LIBRARY  OF  HYMNOLOGY 

Endowed  by  the  Reverend 

Louis  Fitzgerald  Benson,  d.d. 

I 

LIBRARY  OF  THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 
PRINCETON,  NEW  JERSEY 


5oB 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


http://archive.org/details/oldoldstoryOOhank 


PUBLISHED    BY    THE 

American  ^ract  Society, 


*£> 


130  Nassau-street.   J^Iew  York. 


(?^f)ELL  me  the  old,  old  story, 
w$k\       Of  unseen  things  above— 

?M^  0f  Jesus  an<1  liis  %lory' 
A       Of  Jesus  and  Lis  love 

■    k 

c  ^  Tell  me  the  story  simply, 

As  to  a  little  child ; 
For  I  am  weak  and  weary, 
And  helpless,  and  defiled. 


THE   OLD,  OLD   STORY. 

Tell  me  the  story  slowly, 
That  I  may  f<.']:r  it  in — 

That  wonderful  Redemption, 
God's  remedy  for  sin ! 

Tell  me  the  story  often, 
For  I  forget  so  soon ; 

The  "early  dew''  of  morning- 
Has  passed  away  at  noon ! 


Tell  me  the  story  softly, 

With  earnest  tones  and  grave ; 
Remember,  I'm  the  sinner 

Whom  Jesus  came  to  save. 


THE   STORY   WANTED. 


Tell  me  the  story  always, 
If  you  would  really  be. 

In  any  time  of  trouble, 
A  comforter  to  me. 


Tell  me  the  same  old  story 
"When  you  have  cause  to  fear 

That  this  world's  empty  glory 
Is  costing  me  too  dear. 


THE   OLD.  OLD   STOKY, 


Yes,  and  when  that  world's  glory 
Shall  dawn  upon  my  soul, 

Tell  me  the  old,  old  story, 

-  Christ  Jesus  makes  thee  whole  !" 


THE    STORY    TOLD. 


11 


'Or  ads  me  for  "the  sfory 
Of  unseen  things  above; 

Of  Jesus  and  his  glory. 
Of  Jesus  and  his  love." 


12 


THE    OLD,   OLD   STORY. 


You  want  "the  old,  old  story," 
And  nothing  else  will  do ; 

Indeed,  I  cannot  wonder, 
It  always  seems  so  new! 

I  often  wish  that  some  one 
Would  tell  it  me,  each  day ; 

I  never  should  get  tired 
Of  what  he  had  to  say. 


But  I  am  wasting  moments ! 

Oh !  how  shall  I  begin 
To  tell  "  the  old,  old  story," 

How  Jesus  saves  from  sin  ? 


NCE  in  a  pleasant  garden 
God  placed  a  happy  pair; 

And  all  within  was'  peaceful, 
And  all  around  was  fair. 

But  oli !  they  disobeyed  Him ; 

The  one  thing  He  denied 
They  longed  for,  took,  and  tasted- 

They  ate  it,  and — they  died  ! 


THE   STORY   TOLD. 


13 


^^^^^M^ 


Yet,  in  His  love  and  pity, 

At  once  the  Lord  declared. 
How  man.  though  lost  and  ruined, 
Might  after  all  d. 


14 


THE   OLD.  OLD   STORY. 


For  one  of  Eve's  descendants, 
Not  sinful,  like  the  rest, 

Should  spoil  the  work  of  Satan, 
And  man  be  saved  and  blest ! 

He  should  be  son  of  Adam, 
But  Son  of  God  as  well, 

And  bring  a  full  salvation 

From  sin,  and  death,  and  hell. 

Four  thousand  years  were  over ; 

Adam  and  Eve  had  died, 
The  following  generation, 

And  manv  more  beside. 


THE  STORY  TOLD. 


IS 


At  last  some  shepherds,  watching 
Beside  their  flocks  at  night, 

"Were  startled  in  the  darkness 
By  strange  and  heavenly  light : 

A  light  of  dazzling  splendor, 
Far  brighter  than  the  snn; 

They  knew  'twas  God's  own  glory 
That  round  about  them  shone. 

One  of  the  liolv  angels 

Had  come  from  heaven  above, 
To  tell  the  true,  true  story 

Of  Jesus  and  his  love. 

He  came  to  bring  "  glad  tidings:" 
u  You  need  not,  must  not  fear; 

For  Christ,  your  new-born  Saviour, 
Lies  in  the  village  near  !" 


16 


THE   OLD,  OLD   STORY. 


And  many  other  angels 
Took  up  the  story  then ; 

"  To  God  on  high  be  glory, 
Good-will  and  peace  to  men." 


i   t 


THE   STORY  TOLD. 


17 


And  was  it  true — that  story? 

They  went  at  once  to  see, 
And  found  Him  in  a  manger, 

And  knew  that  it  was  He. 

He  whom  the  Father  promised 

So  many  ages  past, 
Had  come  to  save  poor  sinners ; 

Yes.  He  had  come  at  last ! 


THE   OLD,  OLD  STORY. 


^-Sir^^  g 


'T  was  his  "  delight  "  to  do  it, 
To  seek  and  save  the  lost, 

Although  He  knew  beforehand — 
Knew  all  that  it  would  cost. 


He  lived  a  life  most  holy ; 

His  every  thought  was  love, 
And  every  action  showed  it, 

To  man,  and  God  above. 


1 


[HE   BTORI    COLD. 


19 


His  path  in  life  was  lowly  ; 
He  was  a  "  working-man:" 

"Who  knows  the  poor  man's  trials 
So  well  as  Jesus  can  ? 

His  last  three  years  were 

He  could  no  more  be  hid : 
And  time  and  strength  would  fail  me 

To  t^ll  the  good  He  did. 

He  gave  away  no  mca 

For  He  had  none  to  give : 

But  he  had  power  of  healing. 
And  made  dead  people  live. 


i 


20 


THE   OLD,  OLD   STORY. 


He  did  kind  things  so  kindly, 
It  seemed  His  heart's  delight 

To  make  poor  people  happy, 
From  morning  until  night. 


He  always  seemed  at  leisure 
For  every  one  who  came : 

However  tired  or  busy, 

They  found  Him  just  "  the  same. 

He  heard  each  tale  of  sorrow 

With  an  attentive  ear; 
And  took  away  each  burden 

Of  suffering,  sin,  or  fear. 


THE   STORY   TOLD. 


He  was  u  a  nian  of  sorrows/' 
And  when  He  gave  relief. 

He  gave  it  like  a  brother, 

"  Acquainted  with  "  the  "  grief." 


Such  was  "  The  Man  Christ  Jesus  !" 
The  friend  of  sinful  man 

But  hush !  the  tale  grows  sadder : 
I'll  tell  it— if  I  cant 


22 


THE  OLD,  OLD   STORY. 

This  gentle,  holy  Jesus, 
Without  a  spot  or  stain, 

By  wicked  hands  was  taken, 
And  crucified,  and  slam! 


Look!  look! — if  you  can  bear  it — 
Look  at  your  dying  Lord ! 

Stand  near  the  cross  and  view  him : 
"Behold  the  Lamb  of  God!" 

His  hands  and  feet  are  pierced, 
He  cannot  hide  his  face ; 

And  cruel  men  stand  gazing, 
In  crowds,  about  the  place. 


THE   STORY  TOLD. 


23 


They  laugh  at  him  and  moci  him ! 

They  tell  him  to  "come  down/5 
And  leaye  that  cross  of  suffering, 

And  change  it  for  a  crown. 


24  THE  OLD,  OLD  STORY.     ' 

Why  did  lie  bear  their  mockings  ? 

Was  he  "the  mighty  God"? 
And  could  he  have  destroyed  them 

With  one  almighty  word  ? 

Yes,  Jesus  could  have  done  it; 

But  let  me  tell  you  why 
He  would  not  use  his  power, 

But  choose  to  stay  and  die. 

He  had  become  our  surety ; 

And  what  we  could  not  pay, 
He  paid  instead,  and  for  us, 

On  that  one  dreadful  clay. 

For  you  and  me  he  suffered ; 

'Twas  for  our  sins  he  died; 
And  "  not  for  oar  sins  only," 

But  "  all  the  world's  "  beside  ! 

And  now,  the  wrork  is  "  finished !" 
The  sinner's  debt  is  paid, 

Because  on  "Christ  the  righteous" 
The  sin  of  all  was  laid. 


THE   ST011Y  TOLD.  25 

O  wonderful  redemption, 

God's  remedy  for  sin, 
The  door  of  heaven  is  open, 

And  you  may  enter  in. 

For  God  released  our  "  Surety/' 

To  show  the  work  was  done ; 
And  Jesus'  resurrection 

Declared  the  victory  wan  I 


And  now,  he  has  ascended, 

And  sits  upon  the  throne, 

uTo  be  a  prince  and  Saviour/ 

And  claim  us  for  his  own. 
4 


26 


THE   OLD,  OLD   STOEY. 

But  when  lie  left  his  people, 
He  promised  them  to  send 

"  The  Comforter  "  to  teach  them, 
And  guide  them,  to  the  end. 

And  that  same  Holy  Spirit 

Is  with  us  to  this  day, 
And  ready  now  to  teach  us 

The  "new  and  living  way." 


^  \  ^^  <g     S  \ D  VJ^M"^©  T=Tf  §  _ 


£ 

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'    HIS  ia  -  the  old,  old  story :'" 
Say,  do  yon  take  it  i?i — 
This  wonderful  redemption. 
God's  remedy  for  sin  ? 


THE   OLD,  OLD   STORY. 

Do  you  at  heart  believe  it? 

Do  you  believe  it 's  true, 
And  meant  for  every  sinner, 

And,  therefore,  meant  for  you  ? 


Then  take  this  "great  salvation;" 
For  Jesus  loves  to  give! 

Believe !  and  you  receive  it, 
Believe !  and  you  shall  live. 


THE   STORY  WELCOMED. 

And  if  this  simple  message 

Has  now  brought  peace  to  yon, 

Make  known  "  the  old,  old  story/' 
For  others  need  it  too. 

Let  every  body  see  it, 

That  Christ  has  made  you  free ; 
And  when  it  sets  one  longing, 

Say,  ''Jesus  died  for  th& 

Soon,  soon,  our  eyes  shall  see  Him ! 

And  in  our  home  above 
We  '11  sing  the  old,  old  -story 

Or'  Jesus  and  Ids  love. 


?A 


